Q.How will you select eggs for hatching ?

Eggs chosen for hatching should be fresh, of medium size and normal oval shape, with a clean, sound shell, and should come from healthy, properly fertilised breeding stock, since these factors directly affect hatchability and chick quality.

When selecting eggs for artificial or natural incubation (hatching), several practical criteria are used to maximise hatch rate and chick health:

1. Freshness — eggs should be as fresh as possible, ideally not more than about 7-10 days old before setting; hatchability drops sharply the longer an egg is stored before incubation.

2. Size and weight — medium-sized eggs, of standard weight typical for the breed, are preferred; very large or very small eggs tend to have poorer hatchability and can produce weaker chicks.

3. Shape — eggs should have a normal, regular oval shape; excessively round or excessively elongated eggs hatch poorly and are usually rejected.

4. Shell quality — the shell should be clean, smooth, and completely free of cracks, and of normal thickness and texture (not unusually thin, porous, or rough), since a damaged or abnormal shell allows infection or excess moisture loss.

5. Fertility and parent stock health — eggs should come from healthy, disease-free, well-nourished breeding birds kept in the correct male-to-female ratio, ensuring the eggs are properly fertilised.

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